


Take Me To Church (Amen)

by DraeTheBaes



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Child Abuse, F/M, Restraints, please protect yourselves guys, slight body dymorphic disorder
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 23:36:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2710817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraeTheBaes/pseuds/DraeTheBaes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We were born sick.</p><p>You heard them say it.</p><p> </p><p>I was born sick</p><p>But I love it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn't quite midnight yet so Braeden sat in her living room with her gym shorts and her sports bra on waiting. She was itching to go for that run, to release her stress of the day but she had to wait. Every night she had to wait. The silence of her apartment soothed her, nothing but the tick of the clock disturbing it. She watched it. Waiting. And waiting. 

“Five more minutes.” 

She whispered to herself, taking a deep breath and biting at her lip, her impatience was starting to anger her.

“Four more minutes.” She breathed out, itching at her palm, anxious to get out of her skin. She began pacing now, holding her breath with every other step, counting to sixty, then back down to zero, then to sixty again until the clock finally struck 12 and she was out of her apartment quicker than she’d planned.

She started off speed walking toward the stair case, once she made it there it was a slow jog down the stairs, her breathing getting heavier with each step, then she took off, skipping steps, jumping down entire flights, then jumping over railings. She could feel her heart beat in her head, pounding against her skull, a slow growl arising in her throat. She pushed it down, all the way to her bottom of her belly until she made it to the doors of her building. She stopped just outside of them, breathing slow, absorbing her surroundings. 

No one to her left, No one to her right, so she jogged at a normal pace for twenty minutes down her usual route, still unsatisfied but excited for the freedom that was to come. She stopped once she finally reached the boarder of the woods, sniffing. She always stood there, sniffing out for an unfamiliar scent, constantly on guard. Nothing unusual, just the usual smell of the moss and leaves. 

So she started running, faster than before, feeling her hair catching wind and tears welling in her eyes as she did. She picked up the pace, forgetting the reason she began running again, just knowing she felt better. Calmer. She wouldn’t dare say happy, but she felt alive, like she was meant to be doing this, running.

Before she knew it a shiver ran down her spine, she knew the feeling, so she pulled off her sports bra as she ran, resting it on a nearby tree branch, then stopped completely, pulling off her shorts as well. The shiver ran up and down her body as she undressed, folding her shorts and resting them under some leaves on the ground. She stood, taking a deep breath, then began running again, feeling the wind embrace her now naked body, and she felt at peace again.

The shiver ran down her back, to her legs and before she knew it she was on all fours and furry, running faster than she could human, breathing in the scent of the trees around her. Everything felt right, everything felt normal like it should feel, so she continued running in large circles as she usually would, passing her dis guarded clothes almost 50 times before she stopped right next to her bra and sighed. A shiver ran through her body again, this time one she’d put there, and she stood back on her two feet, stretching her limbs before reaching for her clothes.

Midnight was the only time Braeden would be herself, her true self and as much as she hated waiting, she loved the feeling.  
\-----  
Another nightmare had Braeden screaming and grabbing the sheets of her bed until she woke, glancing around the complete darkness of her room. 

She felt her hands shaking and her head aching, but she knew it wasn’t real, she knew it wasn’t real anymore so she took a breath and reminded herself out loud.

“I am okay. I am alive. I am alone.”

She chanted as she rubbed at her wrists where minutes ago she felt cuffs.

She was okay. She was alive. And she was alone.


	2. Chapter 2

“But Cindy there are no wolves in California, so what could it be?”

Braeden couldn’t help but let out a short laugh at the report. No wolves in California. The recent attacks in the woods had made her weary to go out on her runs, so she had to admit she was bitter about it. She hadn’t been running in almost two weeks.

“Police ask civilians to not take matters in their own hands, do not go looking for these wolves.”

Braeden nodded agreeing while sipping her bottled water. “Don’t go looking for wolves.” She repeated.

Those civilian heroes were the reason she was scared to run, they were out there with tranquilizers and real guns and while she knew she would heal that wasn’t the point. She didn’t want to be found, and she didn’t want to be disturbed. Just ‘cause she would heal, didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt. She had to wait for the whole wolf fiasco to die down, and she didn’t know how long that would take, so she dusted off her old treadmill, and started running on that. It wasn’t good enough. She had to agree with Ken, though his toupee didn’t match his beard and his suit didn’t match his tie, he made a good point. What was it that was attacking and frightening the residents of Beacon Hills all of a sudden? The last time she did go for a run she didn’t smell any new scents, she didn’t notice anyone lurking, she was just as lost as the rest of the town which didn’t sit right with her.  
\--  
Braeden hadn’t been running in almost three months. She had enough. The wolf attacks had died down and her skin was starting to itch all over again. She was so used to being out every midnight, holding her wolf in was starting to ache at her bones and claw at her brain. So, at exactly 11:54 pm, Braeden put on a pair of spandex shorts and her darkest sports bra and stood in front of the door waiting for midnight, glancing at her watch every second while stretching her limbs.

“Come on, come on.” She whispered, flicking her wrist and making little impatient jumps. The watch hit 12 and she was gone again, speed walking down the hallway, running down the stairs and jumping over the railings.  
\---  
She could tell something was different the deeper she jogged into the woods. She could smell the different people who had been there almost every night, she could smell gun powder even the emotions they’d left behind fear, anger, and pride. She kept jogging though, until she felt that familiar shiver and peeled off her clothes. Then before she knew it, she was on all fours, the freedom seeping into her bones, tears in her eyes, and the itchiness of her skin completely disappeared.

Braeden didn’t keep track of how long she’d been running, or how many laps she’d made. She was so focused on her own calmness she didn’t catch the scent of the stranger in the woods. The strangers, until it was too late and a sharp pain in her side had her howling and dropping to the cold ground.

“I got one! Son of a bitch.”

She heard a young voice call, she tried to focus on her breathing as she laid there, careful not to make too much noise, to be found. She could feel her eyes closing, _now is not the time for a nap Braeden, come on!_ She coached herself, but her brain wouldn’t listen. She kept her eyes open long enough to see a figure on all fours running toward her, it was blurry and black, but definitely not human.

She blinked and before she knew it, it was. Human that is, naked and walking toward her carefully.

“Can you change back?” he whispered, Braeden moaned out in pain and he seemed to get the message.

“I am going to take you back to mine before someone else finds you.”

Braeden tried to protest, but she couldn’t, so she closed her eyes as she was lifted off the ground.

“I got you, don’t worry you’ll be fine. Regular bullets. I know it hurts, you’ll heal though. But you know that.” He tried to comfort her, but he was right, she already knew that. She wanted to thrash, yell at him, scratch him, bite him scream don’t touch me! But she was stuck in wolf mode and she couldn’t speak, she was injured, so she couldn’t move, all she could do was focus on her breathing and pray that this guy wasn’t going to kill her.

When Braeden woke up she was covered in a thin blanket on a very hard couch. She was human again, so she sat up, pulling the blanket over her chest and eyeing her surroundings. It was dark in the room, but she could see there was light outside through the boarded up windows, so she’d been there for at least five hours.

The room was dusty, there were broken and cracked floorboards, un-cared for plants and vines surrounding the staircase, the building she was in was definitely not safe to be lived in. This man had taken her to an abandoned building to murder her. Why did he wait until she was human and awake for that? She looked around for anything other than the blanket to cover herself with but found nothing.

“Lookin’ for me?” a voice asked, startling her.

“No.” she whispered, suddenly on guard.

“Then what are you looking for?”

“The reason why you took me to an abandoned building.”

The man walked closer to her, she tried not to show fear. She was curled up on one side of the couch; he sat on the arm away from her.

“I live here.”

“Bullshit.”

“How’s your side?” she almost forgot she’d been shot. She looked underneath the blanket and saw no wound.

“Fine I guess.”

“Good.”

The silence stretched on as Braeden watched him. He looked angry, with every word he spoke it seemed like venom was attached. He looked ready to attack at any moment, any sudden movement she made seemed to catch his eye, he was alert, but not nervous.

“Why did you take me here?” she asked, standing now and wrapping the blanket around her body.

“I told you, I live here.” She looked around, sniffing the air. It smelled a bit musty, but his scent was mixed into the furniture and the walls, so either he was telling the truth or he spent a lot of time in that house.

“Why?”

“Because I chose to. You’re asking a lot of questions, and I have yet to hear a thank you.”

Braeden scoffed. “I could’ve handled it.”

“Oh really? I recall you passing out as soon as I picked you up but yeah I’m sure you would’ve been fine without me.”

“Listen, I don’t fucking need-”

“Then leave.”

It caught her off guard; she did a double take and saw his jaw clenched.

“Fine.”

“Good. Give me my blanket.”

She squinted at him. “So am I supposed to leave here naked?”

“I don’t care. Just not with my blanket.”

“Listen man-”

“Derek.”

“I don’t care that much.”

She wrapped the blanket around her tighter, holding it with one hand, fluffing her hair with the other.

“I will give you your blanket when I get home and find something to put on . But I am not walking home naked.”

“So much for not needing me huh.”

The look on his face raised a low growl in her throat, Derek growled back, a light smirk on his face.

“I am not kidding.” Braeden’s brows lowered toward her eyes and a frown fell onto her face.

“Ill get you some sweats to wear home.”

He said standing and walking toward her, she backed up as he did, holding her scowl. He chuckled and gently moved her to the side, heading for the stairs. She followed him slowly, unsure if she should, but waited at the bottom. When Derek came back down holding clothes, Braeden was shocked.

“You actually do live here, oh my God. “ she mumbled, Derek, without a doubt, heard her though, throwing the sweatpants at her head. He turned around, obviously waiting for her to put the clothes on.

“I suggest you don’t go for your runs for a while.” He said, “They’re still hunting out there.”

“I can’t not go.” Braeden pulled the baggy shirt over her torso.

“If you value your life-”

“I need my runs. So don’t fucking tell me what to do.”

She headed for the front door, Derek turned to watch her leave.

“Be careful then.” She said nothing before slamming the front door shut and running the rest of the way home.


	3. Chapter 3

Braeden decided to run again 3 weeks after she’d met Derek. Though  Derek warned her against it, she could take care of herself.  The scents of humans still lingered throughout the woods, but not as strong as before so she felt a little safer. She felt hair grow all over her body as she ran, her breathing finally even and calm, then she was on all fours, speeding through the trees and leaves, a howl of happiness crept its way up her throat, but she pushed it down, hoping not to be found.  She ended up running for longer than she’d planned, caught up in her freedom.  She came to an abrupt halt when she smelt something familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

She trotted toward the smell slowly, the closer she got, the more it smelled rotten, making her stomach turn. _What the hell is that_ , she wondered out loud, causing her wolf to groan confused. When she finally got to the source of the stench, she jumped backward, howling, frightened. Immediately she regretted the noise, and she found herself curled up close to a tree, sobbing silently.The woman’s body wasn’t just dead, it was stabbed, cut and bruised severely. She was definitely the loser in a fight, and it was definitely not against one person.

“Laura?” She heard a man’s voice whisper harshly, a familiar voice; she shivered frightened again, though she knew who it was.

“Laura this isn’t funny.”

Suddenly the voice was right behind her, she noticed a hitch in his throat as he spoke.

“Laura?” He stepped right by Braeden and walked toward the body on the ground. His breathing was heavy as he knelt beside it.

“No, no please.” He whispered, touching the woman’s hand.

Braeden whimpered a bit, and Derek didn’t look at her, but he spoke. 

“I told you not to come out here anymore.”

She couldn’t tell which one of them he was speaking to. She walked over to Derek, pushing at his arm with her nose.

“My sister.” Was all he said, Braeden felt bad for him suddenly, and nuzzled into his side to comfort him.

He didn’t seem to appreciate it, he stood and walked a little further away from her. She wanted to follow but she just sat by Laura’s body, trying not to look at it.  She tilted her head to the side, waiting for Derek to say something.

“Hunters. They did this to her. She didn’t kill anyone I know she wouldn’t. They killed her for no reason.”

He was facing a tree as he spoke. Suddenly there was rustling behind them and Braeden felt herself shake out of fear. Derek didn’t move though, still staring at the tree. Braeden walked a little further from the noise, closer to Derek, Derek walked away, in front of Laura’s body, guarding it.

“Stiles this is a bad idea.”

“Yeah I heard you the first time. We’re already out here dude.”

Braeden could hear their voices from the distance. They were teenagers no doubt,  their voices a little high, cracks here and there as they spoke.

“Lydia saw it this morning, it’s probably still here.”

“So why don’t we call the cops instead of looking for a freakin’ dead body on our own!”

“Cause, we’re already out here Scotty.”

“And turning back isn’t an option then?”

Before this ‘Stiles’ could reply, Derek growled, loudly. 

“What the hell was that? No man I am turning back.”

She heard the voice she’d identified as ‘Scotty’ whisper. Then,  a soft _slap_.

“Man up dude.” 

Derek growled again, Braeden noticed his hands shaking as claws grew from his fingertips. Braeden let out a soft noise that could only be described as a ‘ _mewl’_. What she meant though, is that Derek should stop whatever he’s doing. When Derek turned to her though, his face had changed. Hair grew all around it, fangs poking out of his open mouth.

But it was his eyes that got to her, his eyes were a bright blue and she jumped back, shaking now. She _knew_ what that meant.

“They think my sister is some kind of show? I’ll fuckin’ show ‘em.”

He snarled, turning away from her again. Braeden started to back up now, planning her escape, she was so nervous she couldn’t remember where she’d buried her clothes and walking home naked wasn’t an option. So (against her better judgment) she stayed. 

“I swear to god Stiles, if-” Scotty’s voice was a lot closer now, Braeden looked up and the two lanky teenage boys were right in front of Derek, the longer hair one looking frightened, the one with the buzz cut looking intrigued. 

Derek stayed silent as they watched him, in his defensive stance, chest puffed out, arms hanging at his side, legs far apart. Braeden was confused as to why the boys hadn’t run away screaming. She would have. But then Derek growled, a growl so loud that Braeden’s own heartbeat picked up, and the two boys were flailing over each other to get the hell out of there. Derek stayed until they were out of sight, then turned back around, and his face was back to normal. 

“I don’t know what to do with her body.” Was all he said.  _Why don’t you call the cops, take her to your family?_   Her thoughts come out as a soft grumble and Derek glared at her.

“I can’t understand you.” Was all he said before stepping over his sisters body and walking away. _Where are you going!?_  She howled out, Derek didn’t turn back though, he began running, and just like that he was out of sight.

\--

It was around 11:30 that morning when Braeden heard  the news about a body found in the woods. 

“Scotty and Stiles must’ve called the cops.”

Braeden spoke to herself, eating her bowl of cereal with her bare feet on the coffee table. She had to admit she was a little worried about Derek, the way he’d walked away from his sister’s body earlier that morning, it didn’t sit right with her. She didn’t know why she kept thinking about Derek throughout the day, but when midnight hit, Braeden was out of the house, this time in a pair of jeans and a tank top, with a backpack swung on her shoulder. 

She walked into the woods and then proceeded to walk her normal running route,  sniffing out for his scent. It took her almost two hours, but she found the old abandoned house he’d taken her to weeks ago.  She walked up to the door, and suddenly her nerves got the best of her and just as she was about to run away the old door creaked open and Derek stood inside, arms crossed.

“It’s almost 2 am.”  Was all he said. She wanted to speak, boy did she want to speak. But she remembered his _eyes,_ and suddenly any courage she had left came out of her ears and she was babbling like an idiot.

“I kept thinking about you last night and I wanted to make sure you were okay I don’t know, I know I don’t know you at all but like, dude that’s got to be rough finding your sister like that, also I brought these back.”

Braeden pulled the backpack off her shoulder and stuck it out to him.

“I don’t know if you want it now ‘cause my scent’s all over it, I washed it the best  I can, but hey, my scent is in my backpack too and I didn’t want to wash _that_ just for you and-”

“You can keep it.”  Derek interrupted, arms crossed, brooding.

“Oh. Okay then.” The silence that fell between them couldn’t have gotten anymore awkward.

“Are you okay?” Was all Braeden managed to get out after almost five minutes of nothing. 

“What do you think she-wolf?” He said, walking away from her but leaving the door open.

“It’s Braeden.”

“I don’t care that much.”

He mimicked her words and sat on the hard couch with a thump. Braeden dropped the backpack to the floor.

“I am sorry, about your sister.” Derek shrugged. 

“I know losing someone sucks. My dad-”

 “Don’t.” Braeden bit her lip at his interruption.

“Don’t do that. Don’t try to _relate_ to me she-wolf. Dying sucks. We all know that.”

“I was just trying to be comforting.”

“I don’t remember asking to be comforted.”

“Okay well fuck you!”

She spun around the leave and before she knew it Derek was in front of her, eyes glowing and teeth bared.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his breathing heavy.

“Home. I don’t know why I came here it was a mistake.” She stared into his blue eyes, trying not to show fear.

Suddenly Derek’s eyes were green again and he backed away from her.

“Are you scared of me?” He asked,  backing into the door, as far away from her as he could manage without leaving the room.

  “No. I just don’t know what you are.”

The look of confusion hit Derek’s face so suddenly Braeden had to do a double take.

“What do you mean you don’t know what I am?”

“How else could I possibly say that?”

“I am what you are.” He clarified, walking toward her now, she backed up.

“Whatever that was, the fangs and the eyes and the facial hair. Yeah that’s not me.” 

If Derek’s eyebrows could go down any further down his face they’d overlap his nose.

“What are you?” he asked her, arms crossed, smug look on his face.

“A wolf. A human sometimes, sometimes a wolf.”

“Me too.”

“No, but see I don’t look like that, you’re like... half and half monster.”

Derek looked a little hurt, but he laughed it off.

“It’s called a werewolf, and theres no way you’re not one.”

“I am not!”

“So you’re telling me you skip the ‘were’ and just become a wolf.”

“Looks like it.”

She crossed her arms and rose her eyebrow, he mimicked her movement.

“C’mere.” He said before walking up the stairs, Braeden was weary to follow, but she did anyway taking the steps two at a time to keep up with him.

They entered a dark room that looked just as unlivable as the rest of the house, nothing but a short bookshelf, a full body mirror, a lamp and a bed tucked away in the corner.

“Do you _sleep_ in here?” she wondered out loud, she knew the answer, Derek must’ve assumed she did too because he ignored her question. 

He stepped in front of the mirror, then motioned for her to join him. She was slow, back facing the mirror, she didn’t look into it.

“Transform. Can you do that for me?” he asked in a very sweet, seemingly unlike him voice.

Braeden rose his eyebrow at him.

“Then Ill rip my clothes.”

“You have sweats to wear home, I just want to see what you mean about just being a wolf.”

There was something suspicious in his tone, but she sighed and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She hadn’t transformed indoors for years so it was a bit weird to her, but she felt that familiar shiver, the hair creeping up to her face, hands shaking.

“Stop!” Derek shouted, Braeden froze, scared.

“What!” She shouted back.

“Turn around.”

Braeden remembered she was standing in front of a mirror.

“No.”

“What do you mean no, you have to see this.”

She felt the fur on her face, her hands kept shaking.

“No Derek.”

“Braeden-”

“No!” she shouted, a loud growl came from her throat, Derek stepped back.

“Braeden I just want you to see-”

Suddenly Braeden swung her fist back and smashed the mirror into pieces, without once looking in it.

“When I say no I mean it!” Derek’s hands flew up in defense.

“Okay.”

He watched her suspiciously as her breathing slowed down and her face went back to normal.

“I should go.” She whispered, suddenly embarrassed at her outburst. Derek didn’t try to stop her this time.


	4. Chapter 4

When Braeden woke up that morning she felt heavy, but she felt weak all at once. For some reason, Derek was on her mind the very moment her eyes opened, and that made her feel even weaker. She wanted to apologize for the way she reacted, he didn’t understand why, she didn’t mean to it was just so usual for her to ignore her reflection, to hide from herself.

But he didn’t know that. He’d just lost his sister and then found her, and she treated him so terribly. She lay in bed for almost three hours with her mind racing, not just with thoughts of Derek, but of herself. What was he trying to make her see? Was she really just like him. She knew she was a wolf, but was she a monster? Like her father?

Loud bangs on her front door made her jump out of bed and sniff the air. Slowly she walked toward the door, eyeing the whole room for intruders. But the banging came from outside the door so she was just being paranoid.

“Who the hell is it?” She groaned, looking through the peephole.

Derek stood arms folded staring at the ground, not responding. She pulled the door open reluctantly and mirrored his stance.

“How-”

“I followed you last night, err, this morning.” He answered before she could ask.

“Why?” he sighed and closed his eyes. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“So you followed me all the way home?”

He stood silent for a second.

“I didn’t want who got Laura to get you too.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know. I guess I just got scared. I’m sorry.”

That should’ve been his cue to leave, but he didn’t. He stayed and he eyed her with a stern look on his face.

“I was out here for a while...but when you didn’t get up this morning I guess I got nervous.”

Braeden should’ve been angry, scared, creeped out. But instead she was happy. Someone cared that much for her. But it was because he didn’t know her that he did, so the happiness melted away as quickly as it came.

“Don’t be. Thank you Derek.”

As she went to close the door, she felt a pressure on the other side of it, not strong enough to push her backward, but strong enough for her to notice it was there, she opened the door again.

“I can’t go home. I…can’t be alone.”

The look in his eyes made Braedens heart sink. He looked so childlike and lonely and scared. He was 6ft and probably almost 200 pounds of muscle and he looked like a child.

“Do you want to come in?” He didn’t speak, so Braeden just moved to the side and let him walk in with his head down.

When he looked up though, a flash of confusion hit his face and Braeden had almost forgotten it wasn’t normal to have black paint all over the mirrors in your home. Derek didn’t say anything though, instead he leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.

“I called my uncle. He’s coming to town to bury Laura.”

Braeden stayed silent.

“We don’t have a lot of family or anything so its just us doing the burying. I have to identify her body today. But I don’t know if I can.”

Why was he telling her this?

“She was all I had.”

“I could go with you.”

It slipped out. It seemed like the right kind of thing to say, so she said it.

“Would you?”

That hopeful look in his eyes made her realize that she couldn’t take her words back and just nodded slowly. Braeden didn’t leave her house while the sun was still up. She didn’t know how she was going to go with him.

“Let me just…shower.” She whispered before pushing past him and into her bedroom.

\--

When Braeden finished getting dressed Derek was standing in front of the blacked out mirror. Just staring at it as if he could see himself.

“Okay.” Braeden caught his attention, when he turned to her he looked at her like she had 4 heads.

“Its hot outside why are you wearing a scarf?”

She pulled the scarf over her mouth and shrugged. He didn’t push it any further instead he opened the front door, waiting for her. It was silent as they walked toward the elevator, she wanted to speak but she wasn’t really sure what to say.

“Is it because of your scars?” Derek said as the elevator door opened and they both stepped inside.

Braeden’s heartbeat sped up and she held the scarf over her mouth and nodded. Silence fell between them before Derek spoke again.

“What happened?”

“My father attacked me.”

Her words were muffled but she knew Derek heard her by the look on his face. The elevator opened and she stepped out, Derek rushed out after her and took a breath.

“Is he dead? Your father.”

“Why do you assume that?”

Derek grabbed her hand and lead her into a different direction. Their hands lingered together for a moment before Braeden pulled back.

“Because when I was talking about Laura you were going to tell me about your dad.”

“Well, no he isn’t dead. I don’t think so anyway, he’s just gone.”

“So you didn’t lose him then.”

Derek seemed to sound a little disappointed, which rubbed Braeden the wrong way.

“Well, I don’t know where he is, so yes, I did.”

Derek nodded as they walked Braeden’s usual running route toward the woods.

“We’re just going to my house for my car.”

He clarified, Braeden nodded.

“So you were a born wolf?”

Derek asked a lot of questions.

“No, I wasn’t.”

“So someone bit you?”

“My father scratched me I thought that was established.”

She didn’t feel like talking anymore, it seemed like Derek could sense that because he opened his mouth, looked into her eyes and then closed it. They continued walking in silence and Braeden couldn’t tell which she hated more, the questions he asked, or the questions that hung in the silence.

\--

Once they got to the morgue Derek sat in the parking lot, staring at the building.

“Hey its okay, you’re not alone here.”

She spoke to him like she knew him her whole life, he seemed to relax a little bit.

“I know that, and Ive already seen her body but just…this makes it real.”

Braeden understood, but she didn’t speak, instead she waited for him to relax, for his heart rate to slow down and for his breathing to be even. She just sat and stared at him as he rested his head on the steering wheel trying to breathe. If Derek was taking a stranger to identify his sisters body he really did have no one, and she knew how much that hurt.

Laura seemed like she was his best friend, though she didn’t know what it was like to lose a best friend, she knew what it was like to feel utterly alone. So she let him have his moment of grief and panic before tapping him on the back. He sat up and looked at her.

“You can do this Derek.” He closed his eyes once more and nodded before stepping out of the car and Braeden followed him.

Stepping into the building was eerie and cold, she could feel and smell the death in it and it made her queasy.

“Nephew.”

A voice called, Braeden’s head snapped up as did Derek’s.

“Peter? What are you doing here?”

“My niece is dead Derek.”

“But you said it’d take you days, how are you here already?”

“Why does that matter?”

Braeden watched their interaction closely, Derek seemed guarded, but afraid. Yes, afraid of this Peter guy, his uncle. Braeden could smell it on him, the intense fear and a hint of anger, suddenly she realized her hand was on the small of his back and he seemed to relax a bit.

“Who’s this?” Peter’s voice crawled up her spine and shook her.

It was almost as eerie as the building they were standing in. If snakes could speak, she was sure they’d sound like Uncle Peter.

“Braeden, she’s a friend.”

His voice came out stern and protective and Dereks hand was now on the small of her back.

“Sorry to meet you under these circumstances.” She was polite, though he made her skin crawl for some reason.

“Oh sweetheart what happened to your face?” Braeden hadn’t even realized the scarf was no longer around her neck and immediately placed her hand on her scarred cheek.

Derek interrupted immediately.

“This isn’t what we’re here for.” He led Braeden to a chair. “Won’t be long.”

He said to her before walking up to a desk and speaking to the lady behind it. She was planning on being in the room with him, but being as Peter was there she didn’t really feel like she needed to.

\--

When Derek left the room he’d walked right up to her and grabbed her hand, he was distraught, tears in his eyes, Peter trailing behind him looking very calm and collected.

“Let’s go.” He whispered and she was up and being pulled behind him.

“I am sensing it didn’t go well.” She stated as she jogged a little to keep up with him. He slowed down when he realized.

“I just don’t want to be in another room alone with him.” Braeden suddenly wondered what Peter did but asked no questions.


	5. Chapter 5

They sat outside of Braedens apartment building for almost ten minutes until Braeden finally broke the silence with all she could think of.

"Are you okay?"

"Its my fault."

She could barely hear him.

"How is this your fault?"

"It always is. I was supposed to be watching over her, I was supposed to protect her, but I smothered her, and I made her run away. I made her leave, I made her want space I-"

"Did Peter put this thought in your head?" Braeden was a little angry. She didnt know Derek, but she felt oddly protective of him and all that guilt he was placing on himself made her feel bad.Especialy because she had a weird feeling that it was Peter that made him feel that way.

"I just..I shouldnt have smothered her."

"You want to come up?" She asked, unlocking the passenger side door. He stared at her for a moment, seemingly searching. He nodded slowly and they both left the car, silent all the way up to her apartment.

\----

"Thirsty?" Braeden opened her fridge just staring into it. She wasnt thirsty, but she needed a distraction.

"No. I'm okay thank you."

If she wasnt a werewolf she would never be able to hear Derek speak. She walked back out into the living room and Derek was staring at one of her mirros, scratching a the black paint with an extened claw.

"Please dont do that." She said, grabbing his hand and stopping him.

His claw retracted and he stared into her eyes, their hands still touching, she went to pull back but he held on.

"Why do you do this?"

She knew the question was coming, so she answered it honestly, "I dont like to see myself."

She snatched her hand back and walked over to the couch, resting her feet on the coffee table.

"When was the last time you did, see yourself I mean."

He followed her to the couch, leaving a gap in the three seater so he could turn to look at her.

"Its been a couple months. If I hadn't lived with my sister I wouldnt have even owned any mirrors."

"You have a sister?"

"We dont get along. She left with our mother."

"Is she a wolf too?"

She didnt like talking about her sister. She only lived with her because she could never say no to her mother.

"No. That's why my mother loves her. She's younger by five years, her dad isn't into the supernatural one hundred percent human."

"You aren't close with anyone huh?" She didnt like his tone, "No,I prefer it that way thank you very much asshole."

"Oh, no I didnt mean it like-"

"Maybe you should go."

"Braeden please dont kick me out." God he sounded so pitiful. "Okay."

Silence had become their new song. It felt like it lasted forever. Braeden noticed Derek staring at her a lot, with this look, a kind of wonder, like he'd never seen someone like her before. She didnt get it, so she assumed it was because of her scars and turned her cheek away from him.

"Am I making you uncomfortable? I smell discomfort, am I doing something wrong?" He asked, sounding small and childlike.

She shook her head no.

"Why are you staring at me though?"

"So _I am_ making you uncomfortable." She didnt respond, so he spoke again, "You intrest me, thats all. I want to know more about you, but I dont want to pry."

"Well I dont know anything about you Derek Last Name."

"Hale, and I know, all you have to do is ask."

"You dont seem like the open type."

Derek shrugged, rubbing his hands on his jeans, "I guess its only fair."

"Why do you live in an abadoned building?"

Derek's breath stopped. He bit his lip a little bit and looked down at the couch.

"I used to live there with my family."

"Vague." Braeden pushed on, that was her one question from the beggining.

"A hunter...burnt my house down. That was the house."

"And..your family-"

"Is dead. Yes."

This silence was different, it was like they were both searching for a way to apologize, their mouths opened, then closed, no words could come out of either of them. "Laura and I were the only ones not home.Peter didnt live with us." Derek continued, seemingly unable to deal with the silence

. "I'm sorry." Braeden whispered to the ground, Derek didnt respond. "I should get going." She didnt realize he was standing until she heard footsteps near the front door. "Okay." "Bye Braeden." That sounded odd, like he wasn't planning on seeing her again, and for some reason, that really bothered her.

\-----------

_"Mom! Please! I'm okay now! Mom!"_

_Nothing but the clanging of chains rung her ears. She felt so alone, so scared. It was what she was used to though, the dark room, the musty smell. But it didnt make it any less terrifying. Suddenly a creek from the top of the stairs directly in front of her stopped her from speaking._

_"Braeden? Are you hungry?"_

_Little footsteps patted their way down the stairs and a little girl knelt in front of her._

_"Go away Kammie. Where's mom?"_

_"She's ignoring you again. I brought you some cereal."_

_Braeden looked down at the bowl overflowing with milk, little bits of milk were splattered all over the stairs._

_"I can feed you." Kammie whispered._

_"Get mom Kamryn."_

_"She wont come down here when you look like that Braeden."_

_"Look like what?" Kammie's face fell, she bit her lip and shrugged._

_"Your cereal's getting soggy. Open up." Braeden didnt want to. God, she just wanted to spit in her stupid half sisters face, but she was so hungry, she opened her mouth instead and Kamryn put a spoonful of lucky charms in her mouth._

_"You have to go back to normal so you can come to my recital on saturday."_

_"Fuck your recital." What did she mean normal? She felt fine._

_"Okay." Kamryn continued feeding her, and Braeden watched her face, Kamryn had tears in her eyes but she kept feeding her. Kammie loved her, but Braeden hated her with all her heart._

 

Braeden woke up cold and angry.

\-----

It was a good three weeks before Braeden saw Derek again. She was on another one of her midnight runs when Derek stopped her before she could even strip.

"I need your help."

He had whispered when she ran past him, she whipped her head around and ended up tripping over a rock, Derek caught her before she even hit the ground.

"Need my help with what?" She panted staring into Derek's eyes, he had his hand on the small of her back, holding her just off of the ground.

"I have a baby werewolf I need help with."

\------------

When Breden entered Derek's home, a young man with floppy hair sat on the couch, facing away from the door. He smelt familiar. 

"This is the baby werewolf?" Braeden whispered, shutting the door gently behind her.

"I can..I can hear you. Clearly." His voice came out soft and shaky, she could hear his every breath, he couldnt believe the words he was saying. 

"What's his name?" 

"My name's Scott." 

Braeden made her way to the living room, Derek followed slowly behind.

"Where do I know you from?" She asked him, sitting on the rickety coffee table.

He didn't look at her.

"I dont know. I dont know you." He said, rubbing his hands over his face over and over again.

"Who brought you here?" Braeden asked. 

Derek cleared his throat. "He brought himself here, demanding answers. He thinks I bit him."

The slight chuckle that followed made Braeden growl at Derek. Derek sat on the arm of the couch watching the two of them.

"Derek didn't bite you Scott." 

"He did!" 

Suddenly he was up, hands shaking, eyes flashing a bright yellow, "I remember him! From the woods with the body, I saw him." 

He stood over Braeden, and if it wasn't for the way his eyes were darting back and forth, and the stench of confusion radiating off of him Braeden might have been scared. 

"Scott, calm down okay? There's no way Derek did this, only Alphas can bite, Alphas have red eyes." Braeden looked over to Derek, Derek rolled his eyes, but closed them, then opened them again and they were a bright blue. 

"Wasn't me."

Scott sat back down with a 'huff', he bit his bottom lip and looked like he was going to cry, "then who did this to me?"

"That's something we need to find out. But until then we have to focus on keeping you sane through all of this." Derek said, standing to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.   
Scott nodded without asking anymore questions.


	6. Chapter 6

"So that thing you did with your eyes when you got angry, you got to learn how to control that." Braeden started off standing and walking over to Derek.

Derek was leaning against a wall, arms crossed and brooding as always. Braeden wondered if Derek wanted her help, or wanted her to take care of the whole thing. He didn't really seem like he was interested in keeping the kid safe. He seemed more interested in keeping him quiet.

"Unless you want people to find out what you are." Derek finished for her, staring at the ground though.

"A werewolf?" Scott asked the question that didn't need an answer.

So no one answered. Braeden walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder, he didnt move an inch, but Braeden could tell that he held his breath.

"You have to trust us." She said with the softest voice she could muster.

"How am I supposed to do that? How am I supposed to believe anything you say? How the hell-"

"Your eyes. Pay attention." Derek cut him off, still leaning against that wall, as far away from them as he could be without leaving the room.

"You can feel them change. Its slight, but you feel it, like an eyelash in your eye, right on your pupil. You feel it, and its gone. Then you see better, right?"

Nothing but a slow nod from Scott.

"It's quick but you have to stop it. Close your eyes if you have to, calm yourself down."

"I cant stop myself from getting angry Derek."

There was a little attitude in Scott's voice now. Like it'd be too much work.

"We're not saying don't get angry, there just needs to be a quick step before your anger, a flash of thought everytime your emotions are high, a quick as a blink." Braeden clarified.

Scott shrugged and huffed air out of his nose.

"I know this is frustrating, but it'll be okay." Braeden whispered, the slight smile he gave her made her smile back.

\-----

They spent almost four hours telling Scott the werewolf basics, telling him how to keep control, how to keep human. They demanded for him to be back after school the next day and he agreed reluctantly. It was just Braeden and Derek now, staring at eachother fro across the room,waiting for the other to speak.

"Looks like we're raising a wolf baby together."

Braeden made light of it, Derek crossed his arms, staring at the boarded window behind her instead, "I need to know who bit him, and why."

Braeden could smell his anger.

"I know."

"Whoever bit him might be the one terrorizing the town. The reason Laura was killed." Braeden nodded in agreement.

"But I dont know where to start."

She didnt know either.

"My dad used to talk to me about tracking, the times I could see him after he changed me. It's difficult tracking an alpha, but it's not impossible."

"Your dad taught you things?" He seemed interested now. Perking up a bit and meeting her eyes.

"When my mother wasn't home, he'd sneak in and unchain me until she came back." She didn't realize she was speaking, but she continued.

"When my mother and stepfather went to my sisters dance recitals, or soccer games or parent teacher meeting or-" She sighed catching herself, "He'd sneak in through the window of the basement, unchain me and tell me how to survive. He promised to come take me away, but my mom found him and he never came back."

woah, where'd that come from.

Derek was in a stunned silence.

"He told me I could track him if I ever needed him, but I never tried. It's a lot of work, it'll be even harder because we dont know who the alpha is. We just know it's an alpha."

"Why did she chain you in the basement?"

Braeden sniffed, he smelt anger. Derek was angry. She didn't need to be a wolf to know that though, his jaw was tight, his breathing was shallow and quick.

"Why are you angry?"

"Why would someone do that to their child?"

"She was trying to protect me."

"From what! Yourself?"

"Yes!"

Derek seemed to calm a little, his tight jaw was replaced with a look of sadness, then realization and before Braeden knew it Derek was in front of her, hand on her scarred cheek, he looked deep into her eyes.

"Did she do this?"

Braeden sighed. "No, she would never hurt me. She couldnt do it anyway, she's human."

His hand was so warm, so calming, she felt like melting into it. It'd been so long since she was comforted with touch. It made her stomach flip and her palms sweat. She wanted to tell him off for prying, for assuming things about her family, about her own mother, but she couldnt. She leaned into his touch more and closed her eyes. He seemed to notice her comfort, sense her calm, because he placed his other hand on her waist and squeezed.

She felt like crying. He pulled her closer, so slow Braeden just wanted to crash into him, to feel his heat everywhere, he was so gentle for being so big. She was in his arms in a moment, taking in his scent and squeezing him. A slight 'umpf' came from him when she squeezed, she let go a little, but he grabbed on tighter. She needed that and he could tell.

"Stay tonight?" He whispered into her ear, rocking them both from side to side. She wanted to say no, to tell him to fuck off, but she didnt. Instead she nodded into his shoulder and felt his lips kiss her hair.

\-----

_"Let me see your eyes sweetheart."_

_Braeden opened her eyes and looked at her father. The sides of his hair just in front of his ears was beggining to grey, from all the story books she read and movies she'd seen she was told werewolves couldnt age. She put it in the vault to ask him later._

_"You're upset." Her father whispered to her, breaking her handcuffs with nothing but a gentle tug._

_"Why is mom doing this to me?" her own voice came out strained from the yelling she was doing only thirty minutes before._

_"She doesnt understand. I'm going to take you away from her Braeden, I promise you that. I just need time."_

_Braeden nodded. "What's wrong with me?" She asked him, she looked at her hands and saw her long sharp nails, her hands were hairy and shaking slightly._

_"Nothing at all darling. You are perfect and nothing is wrong with you."_

_"Then why is she doing this to me, why doesnt she love me? Why does she say I'm a monster?" Braeden felt tears in her eyes, then noticed tears in her fathers eyes too._

_It must have hurt hearing your eleven year old speak that way, and seeing her that way._

_"Braeden Marie look at me." Braeden lifted her eyes to her fathers again._

_"If anyone is a montser, it is her, a montser feels nothing. A monster is nothing. You are not a monster. You are special."_

_Braeden itched the scars on her neck softly, careful not to scratch herself like she did before, it healed almost instantly, but her father told her that was normal._

_"Is that why you did this to me? To make me special?"_

_"No Braeden, that was my lack of control, my emotions got you hurt and I will never forgive myself. You were special before this. You will always be special. Do you understand?"_

_Braeden nodded and threw her arms around her father, he hugged her back and a sudden scream broke them apart. Kamryn stood at the top of the stairs, hands shaking as she watched them. Braeden shook her head frantically, begging her not to make any noise, but it was too late._

_Kamryn was crying and running to her mother, her father kissed her forehead and he was gone. Less than thirty seconds later Braeden's mother was running down the basement stairs, searching the room._

_"Where is he?!" she screeched out, Braeden grabbed her knees and pulled herself backward against the cold wall._

_"Hes gone." she whispered._

_"How long has he been coming here?" Braeden got a foul stentch from her mother, strong, it burned her nose a little bit and made her feel angry._

_"I dont know."_

_"Do you know what he did to you Braeden!? Do you know?" Braeden nodded, he made her have claws and hairy hands._

_He made her angry on a full moon, he made her smell weird things when people were angry or sad. But when Braeden's mother pulled the light on the ceiling, the sudden change burned her eyes, she watched as her mother groaned frustrated and grabbed the full length mirror from the corner of the room and placed it in front of her. Braeden saw what her father had done to her._

_He made her a monster._

_Hours later every entrance was lined with mountain ash and Braeden never saw her father again._

\-----

 Braeden woke up panting and sweating, Derek  right next to her, pulling her head onto his lap and stroking her hair. She heard herself whispering "Please stay" to him every second until he hushed her and laid next to her, pulling her head onto his chest and stroking her hair until she slept again.


End file.
